Home DIY

they were never intended to be opened

I think you’re exactly right. When we moved in they were shut off with trim and translucent plastic, but it looked rubbish and I like light. Wouldn’t be the DIY thread without the conceit of tackling something futile!

@Hefty thankfully behind the ply is the loft, which we have access to and all seems sound behind the ply, in every weather through winter. The shit bottom edge is where my partner ran a roller over the flaking paint at the bottom because there was paint left over after painting an adjacent ceiling. I think just age/poorly originally painted is the cause for the flaking, most of it came off when I sanded back the (rough) filler patch job after pulling the trim off. Didn’t want to repaint properly staring down the barrel of ripping it all down anyway.

@Airhead I think probably bodge/close enough job for someone who wasn’t that invested. Previous owner was a bit senile and her son mostly handled her affairs from abroad, so I don’t think anyone would be looking at work too closely beyond ‘yep, that’s windows’

Thankfully there is loads of work including more decorating/plastering to do on this floor, so it’s a good time for exploratory work. I think I will have take the top couple of inches of ply off with an oscillating tool and see where I get. They’d be a great feature if they were functional so I’m not too averse to throwing ££ at them if necessary - it’s just in my nature to exhaust my DIY capabilities as first port of call. Presumably I’m looking at a grand or two per skylight (there are 4 sets of 2 in total) for replacements? I think if they are sound I’d rather pay someone to rebox them nicely if that is feasible but proves beyond me.

Anyway, on an entirely related note - what multitool do I want? Cordless because I’m most likely to use in awkward spaces? They look to be different shaped/not system batteries, so I can dip toe in a different brands water to my other cordless stuff?

Definitely cordless, most of them do use system batteries. There isn't much to determine between them from a DIY point of view.

Aghhh. Going round in circles with our floor, and would appreciate some input on removing this wall.

The wall upstairs is offset from this one and the people who've seen it have said this wall is non structural and doesn't require a lintel.

I have an SDS and a grinder. As I see it the main thing preventing me from diy is moving the light switch to the other side and free time.

The guys doing our floor have quoted £2k for removing it and making good. Which I don't think is an unfair price, however it makes our total bill for all the work£11k... and 9k would be better.

Thoughts?

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the people who've seen it have said this wall is non structural and doesn't require a lintel.

Definitely double-check for load-bearing... or were you going to use acrow props regardless and have a lintel backup plan?

Good question. Idk.

I wasn't planning on having acrow props. But I guess the floor guys will, and then get a lintel if needed.

what multitool do I want?

Keep in mind there are light, lower powered ones, and larger, high powered ones. Some folks claim the lower powered ones are more than adequate for DIY, and are easier to work with than the higher powered versions, as they are lighter and smaller.

Whatever you do, get a Brushless one. They run for longer, and don't heat up like brushed tools do.

so I can dip toe in a different brands water to my other cordless stuff?

Not sure I understand this, but it's probably best to buy one that you have batteries for.

Definitely a cordless tool.

I got this brushless Dewalt DCS355N and am happy with it:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251990358151?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=6Us60OgNQOe&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=eEzv6s3FRC-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Painting freshly plastered bathrooms. What’s the defacto guidance - emulsion mist coast and then dulux eggshell? Looking at @Airhead for his master guidance 😃😃

Airhead will say leave 12 months for the finish to cure before going near it with a brush ;)

Thoughts, whether you do it or they do it, I'd be knocking a couple of holes in the ceiling to have a look at the joist orientation etc.

look at the joist orientation

Specifically what?

They run in line with the wall - ie left<>right in that picture, not front to back.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-trade-bare-plaster-paint-brilliant-white-10ltr/51004?tc=FC7&ds_kid=92700047154135765&ds_rl=1243321&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=CjwKCAiA85efBhBbEiwAD7oLQCHiQr60P0YnLgkrIAZDQWK9qh4d4TcLoH39EFEc3h5bJZ2djvOm7RoCNxwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

But it feels like things are being brought up that make me think this isn't a mate, some beers and a weekend job.

Also bear in mind that, assuming you're using a tradesperson who is above board, they should have insurance if things go terribly wrong and your upstairs becomes your downstairs.

There was talk on here about some flexible filler, it had fibres in or somesuch, to use without cracking where there was a bit of movement (for skirting boards in my case). I can't find it in the search though, anyone give me clue as to what it is? Cheers

Toupret Fibacryl. I was describing using it with the fine scrim to stop skirting boards cracking away from walls.

I do this job very little because I don't do a building site work and builders all reckon they can paint anyway!

The piece of old timers advice I do have is to let it dry for 6 months. This advice is universally unwelcome! In any case a mist coat is the way to go. Some emulsions have higher amounts of solids in them, usually trade paints do, so choosing a high opacity trade paint for the following coats is helpful.

Give it as long as possible to dry, plaster is a crystalline structure that is still forming for a while after mixing.

It also makes a big difference how well it's been plastered, plaster should have a final polish when it's just drying that creates a very smooth finish. Most of the time if you put a bright light across a newly plastered wall you see multiple faults. I'm usually fixing all that 10 years later!

So true 🙂

That was it cheers. I've found the original posts now too.

So I have ignored this task as it’s a tricky job and i’m loath to take it on myself. the last strip of terrazzo on my windowsill is cast in place on a bed of cement so needs to be cut out.
After cogitation and some advice an angle grinder with a mortar/diamond cutting disk looks like the best option but whoever does the job will have to really careful not to break the glass.
I don’t mind knocking the metal frame as it’s going to be painted.
Not had any response from any trades as it’s not something anyone would want to take on willingly.
Anyone know of a tradesman who does stone/mortar precision cutting?
or should i bite the bullet and buy a grinder? my left hand is a bit fucked from a MTB accident and is already grizzling from other repetitive DIY tasks so would rather pay somebody to do the job as there is 5m of this to remove.
It sits on 2 layers of mortar, the big bit stays as thats holding the window frame ties in, the 2cm layer of terrazzo and mortar needs to go.

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Deluxe trade supermat white watered down

Cardboard and scrap fabric to protect glass, seal room, hire a 230mm grinder for a day. Wear gloves, googles, mask. Have a bucket of water near by, or a fire extinguisher (it'll throw a ton of sparks out) . Cutting done in 10-30 minutes probably.

Wear gloves, googles, mask.

and ear protection!

I really want to do all of the above but add ‘hire tradesperson’

have a respirator and the flat just has boxes of stuff/wrapped furniture so can move that well away from the windowsill. we pallet wrapped everything as we knew dust was going to be an issue!